Average Georgia: Grainy photo fame, I hate you

Heels v flats by mina-v-esguerra featuring high heel pumps

Georgia has another encounter with minor celeb "Scarlet," and concludes that the universe is punishing her for something. New Average Georgia now up on Wattpad!

Average Georgia: How to enjoy a rainy Boracay weekend

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What to do when it's raining in paradise? Georgia finds out when she runs into Andy again.

New Average Georgia: Wipeout Winner

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Georgia made a new "friend" -- and did someone see more than he should? New Average Georgia, now on Wattpad!

Average Georgia: This is a post-Mean Girls world

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I'm in La Union! Farthest I've ever been from home. Also my longest bus ride ever.

So this is technically my second travel writing assignment, but unlike the first one, I actually have time to write in the middle of it because I am holed up in my room. I am avoiding people.

The dynamic on this trip is different, because this resort is quite posh, and there a few more "high profile" people on the guest list. I was surprised when I found out I got this gig, because usually the more senior people get it. Maybe someone higher up the food chain ate bad tahong, and inadvertently changed my fate? I should find out and send a fruit basket.

The good: MY OWN ROOM. Because my designated roommate, the mysterious Miss M, didn't show up. Or hasn't shown up. At least, they seem to think she's still going to, which is why they didn't bunk me with someone else, but it's midnight and she's not here yet. So now I'm enjoying my welcome drink, evening cookies, and rose-petal-adorned bubble bath all to myself.

The bad: I seem to have wandered into a clique war. We're all writers or covering travel in some way, but earlier tonight I saw that there were two distinct groups, and they seemed to hate each other. Group A's leader (I say that because she's never alone, everyone seems to want to be around her) is a face I actually recognize. I think she's a minor celeb.

Group B is a smaller group of very articulate people who seem intent on NOT hanging out with Group A, because of minor celeb. I know one of them from my last assignment, so I kind of started the day hanging out with them, but wow. They really hate her. They keep talking about her.

I learned from my internship mentor that these clique wars at work won't help anyone, and that's why I'm spending the evening in the bubble bath.

The interesting: Another sign that I've leveled up? There's another minor celeb here. (I will call him Andy from this point on, because I think he Googles his name.) He's a sports/travel show host on the same network at my sister's show. He saw my name, and asked if I was related to her. That, by the way, is the opening line of half of all intros I'm part of. "Are you related to Kat?"

When one day someone asks her if SHE'S related to me, I will buy everyone pancit. I swear.

On the agenda for tomorrow is surfing (yeah right, please pray for me). Ken (travel photographer from last time) said he will take video of my inevitable wipeout.

Average Georgia: Touched by a tiara

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Just came from dinner with Jaye. Apparently I love bamboo rice with fried hito, especially when it's free because my best friend cares about me, starving writer. The price? Had to endure being laughed at for five hours, when I told him where I was last weekend.

I was at my first ever travel writing gig, covering a new water park/resort (somewhere in Luzon). I sincerely thought that travel writing would be all solitary walks on photogenic white sand beaches but no... I was elbow to elbow with people the whole time. In the shuttle bus, registration, press briefings, cultural shows. Even in the tiny restrooms, where I had to stand in line with the other travel writers (synchronized peeing! a nightmare).

So. many. people. Ran out of small talk topics. Made a snarky remark about the crude sculpture in the lobby, only to be told that it was modeled after the resort owner's mother. (Also, no one laughed! Remember: Don't ever make snarky remarks.)

After the luau and fireworks, which I brilliantly spent at the event organizer's table where everyone was too busy to chitchat, I tried to call it a night. My excuse was I wanted to start on my draft, but they pulled me out of my room for a meet and greet with the former beauty queen who was the resort's spokesperson.

Had ten minutes with her. Ran out of questions in half that time. Awkward moment of me checking my time and her smiling earnestly at me.

And then I said this: "I guess it's a little weird to be doing these small appearances, no? When you've been all around the world being treated like royalty. Do you kind of wish you were still reigning Ms. __________?"

I actually did say that. I have my recording's transcript.

Jaye was, OMG, you totally just insulted your host and your host's spokesperson. And I totally did not mean that.

But she didn't even blink, and told me, "I'm here because I've been around the world and this is where I choose to be. My motto is 'Never wake up wishing you were someone else, somewhere else.'"

"She has a MOTTO?" Jaye said.

I told him to shut up. (She was a beauty queen. Of course she had a motto!) Never mind that she was a pop culture has-been now endorsing a cheesy water park. She was living life regret-free. More than I could say about me. And Jaye.

I couldn't help it. I hugged Ms. Beauty Queen, and actually watched the second round of fireworks willingly. One of the photographers in the group took a really cool pic of me. It looks like I'm on a solitary walk, just as the sky lights up with fireworks. Like this travel writing thing is as glam as I thought it was going to be.

I'm using that photo everywhere. As soon as he emails it to me.

Average Georgia: 5 things I am not

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1. I am not my sister.
I love her, but I've had it up to here with people asking me if I'm related to Kat. Because how many times does she get asked if she's related to me, huh? Not a lot, I think. It's not her fault that she's the semi famous then-girlfriend now-wife of a famous Pinoy actor. Or that she is pretty in that artistic black-wearing kind of way. I'm different. Colors, I like them.

2. I am not the same kind of writer.
Ate Kat writes two kinds of things only -- super corny soap opera cheese (for her job), or super depressing existentialist sort-of poetry (for herself). Believe me, it took a lot of guts for me to decide to be a "writer too" but I'm not the same kind of writer. I want to meet people, go places, tell real stories. She's not going to be able to help me do this, even if she's established and connected by now. I want to find my own way.

3. I'm not on the rebound.
My best friend Jaye broke up with his boyfriend recently too, and has made me get into a weird "no rebounds" pact with him. We have to remind each other not to go too far with anyone for a year. I think a year is too much. It's been four months and I'm so sure I'm over the Monster already. I don't answer Jaye's calls past eleven anymore, it's crazy.

4. I'm not into birthdays.
Or maybe I'm just not into mine. I think this year my goal will be to save enough money so I can spend my birthday alone, away from anyone who wants to throw me a party. 

5. I'm not that special.
Bless the people who have good hearts and think that everyone in special in their own way. We know the truth -- there's always someone smarter, prettier, nicer. I guess that's what I learned from the experience with the Monster and seeing him with a girl who looked exactly like me but taller. I know who I am.

I am Average Georgia.